High pressure explosively actuated spool valve

ABSTRACT

An explosively-actuated, normally-opened spool valve. The valve has a duct through the spool or the valve casing which prevents movement of the spool due to leakage of a high-pressure fluid flowing through the valve.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,713,458 Lee 1 Jan. 30, 1973 [54]HIGWPRESSURE, EXPLOSWELY- 3,l59,378 12/1964 Haag 251/63 x 3,511,1835/l970 Geffner ..l 37/68 X Inventor: John T. M. Lee, Phoenixville, Pa.FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 73 Assigneez [Cl America 1,060,407ll/l953 France ..25l/324 Filedl 1970 Primary Examiner-Martin P.Schwadron Assistant Examiner-Richard Gerard [21] Appl 477Attorneyl(enneth E. Mulford and Roger R. Horton [52] US. Cl. ..l37/3l2,137/68, 251/63, l l ABSTRACT 251/ An explosively-actuated,normally-opened spool valve. [51] Ill. Cl. ..Fl6k 3/26, Fl6k 31/00 hvalve has a d through the Spool or the valve Fleld Search casing whichprevents movement of the spool due to 251/11, 63, 324, 130 leakage of ahigh-pressure fluid flowing through the valve.

56 R f 1 e etences Cited 10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures UNITED STATESPATENTS 7/1929 Burstall ..25 1/62 PATENTEDJAHISOIQTS SHEETlUFZ INVENTORFIG.

ATTORNEY PATENTEDJAHIBO ms 3.711458 SHEET 2 UP 2 INVENTOR ,John T M. Lee

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ATTORNEY 1 HIGH-PRESSURE, EXPLOSIVELY-ACTUATED SPOOL VALVE Thisinvention relates to an explosively-actuated, normally-opened,high-pressure spool valve having a duct which prevents the spool frommoving due to a build-up of pressure at the end of the spool. The duct,which relieves this pressure, may pass either through the spool orthrough the casing to the outside of the valve.

It is often necessary to be able to shut off a line containing a fluidunder high pressure in an emergency. For example, should a linecontaining an explosive fuel such as gasoline rupture or catch fire, theline must be shut down immediately.

The valve of this invention can be used to shut off a line containing afluid under high pressure, yet only the small amount of energy in anelectric match is needed to operate it. The valve can be usedindefinitely before it is finally closed by firing the match. It canthen be easily reset and reused. Provision has also been made to operatethe valve manually if necessary.

FIG. 1 is a side view in section of an embodiment of the valve of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side view in section of the match shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIG. 3 is a side view in section of a presently preferred embodiment ofthe valve of this invention. The embodiment of FIG. 3 is preferred as itis of a simpler and less expensive construction.

In FIG. 1 a casing 1 is provided with two ports 2 and 3 either of whichmay be the inlet or the outlet port for the a fluid under high pressure.A plate 4 having an exhaust port 5 forms the base of the casing 1 and isheld in place by means of screws 6. A plug 7 screws into the top of thecasing I and is sealed to the casing by means of gasket 8. This plug ispreferably of an insulated material such as plastic. Molded into plug 7are two lead wires 9 and 10 which form contacts 11 and 12, respectively.These contacts-hold a match 13 by friction.

Referring now to FIG. 2, match 13 is made up of conductive surfaces 14and 15 which touch contacts 11 and 12, respectively, in FIG. I. Surfacesl4 and 15 are separated by insulating layer I6 and are joined bybridgewire 17 which is covered with an explosive composition 18.

Referring again to FIG. 1, contained within casing l is a spool 19having a head portion 20, a narrow neck portion 21, and a shoulderportion 22. The spool 19 is movably sealed to casing I by means ofO-rings 23, 24, 25, and 26. A duct 27 passes from between O-rings 23 and24 through the spool and out the shoulder portion 22. A pull rod 28 isattached to the shoulder portion 22 and passes through exhaust port 5.

Should an emergency occur, making it necessary to prevent a fluid frompassing between ports 2 and 3 around narrow neck portion 21, a smallcurrent is sent through lead wires 9 and 10. This current passes overconductive layers 14 and I5 and heats bridgewire 17 which ignitesexplosive composition 18. The gas pressure generated by this explosionmoves spool 19 until shoulder portion 22 strikes plate 4. In thisposition, 0- ring 25 is between ports 2 and 3 preventing the passage offluid between them.

Duct 27 is provided to prevent high pressure fluid from passing betweenspool 19 and casing 1 to the area of match 13 where it could desensitizethe match or cause the spool to move down until shoulder portion 22strikes casing 4. Any fluid under pressure passing between spool 19 andcasing I will enter duct 27 after it has passed O-ring 24. Fluid passingthrough duct 27 can be exhausted from the valve through exhaust port 5.

The valve may be closed by hand by pulling rod 28 until shoulder portion22 strikes casing 4. The valve may be reused by unscrewing plug 7,removing match 13, replacing it with an unused match, repositioning thespool, and screwing plug 7 back into place.

In FIG. 3, a casing 30 has a relief duct 31 and ports 32 and 33, eitherof which may be the inlet or the outlet port. A plate 34 is held to thecasing by screws 35 and has exhaust port 36 at its center. A plug 37 isscrewed into casing 30 and is sealed thereto by gasket 38. Lead wires 39and 40 are molded into plug 37 and form contacts 41 and 42,respectively. A match 13 as shown in FIG. 2 is held between thesecontacts. Contained-- within casing 30 is spool 43 which has a headportion 44, a narrow neck portion 45, and a shoulder portion 46. Spool43 is slidably sealed to casing 30 by means of O-rings 47, 48, 49, and50. pull rod 51 is fixed to shoulder portion 46.

The valve of FIG. 3 operates in the same manner described for the valveof FIG. 1 with the exception that the pressure of fluid passing O-rings48 and 49 is relieved through duct 31.

O-rings 47 in FIG. 3 and 23 in FIG. 1 are needed to prevent gasesproduced by the ignition of the electric match from passing throughducts 31 and 27, respectively, which may be hazardous and which woulddecrease the pressure of the gases. Thus, O-ring 47 remains between duct31 and the match in FIG. 3 even after the match has fired.

O-rings 48 in FIG. 3 and 24 in FIG. 1 are present to prevent fluid frompassing through ducts 31 and 27, respectively, when O-rings 49 and 25,respectively, pass across ports 33 and 3, respectively. However, ifports 32 in FIG. 3 and 2 in FIG. 1 are made the inlet ports, thisproblem is greatly alleviated and O-rings 48 and 24, respectively, maybe eliminated if so desired.

What is claimed is:

l. A normally-opened, explosively-actuated spool valve comprising:

A. a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port in its sides, one ofsaid ports at least slightly completely below the other;

B. a spool within said casing having a head portion, a narrow neckportion, and a shoulder portion, said head portion being normallypositioned on one side of said ports, said narrow neck portion being ofsufficient length to extend across at least a part of both said inletand outlet ports, said head and shoulder portions being in sealedslidable engagement with said casing, said head portion being in sealedslidable engagement with said casing at at least two junctures, thedistance between the two junctures closest to the neck portion beinggreater than the diameter of the closest port, said spool being slidablewithin said casing from a position where said juncture closest to theneck portion is above the closest port, to a position where saidjuncture closest to the neck portion is between said ports;

C. a duct passing from between said head portion and said casing to theoutside of said valve, said duct beginning at a point which is abovesaid juncture closest to the neck portion and which is below saidjuncture farthest from said neck portion at all positions of said spool;

D. an explosive charge positioned in communication with the inside ofsaid casing adjacent the end of said head portion; and

E. a pull rod fixed to said shoulder portion of said spool and extendingoutside said casing.

2. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said duct passes through saidcasing.

3. A valve according to claim 2 which has a third juncture between saidduct and said closest port which juncture remains therebetween at allthe positions of said spool.

4. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said duct passes through saidspool to the end of said shoulder portion.

5. A valve according to claim 4 which has a third juncture between saidduct and said closest port which juncture remains therebetween at allthe positions of said spool.

6. A spool valve according to claim 1 wherein said explosive charge iselectrically actuated.

7. A spool valve according to claim 6 wherein said explosive charge isan electric match.

8. A spool valve according to claim 7 wherein said electric match isreplaceably held in friction engagement by two electrical contacts.

9. A spool valve according to claim 1 wherein said junctures areO-rings.

10. A- normally-opened, explosively-actuated spool valve comprising:

A. a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port in its sides, one ofsaid ports at least slightly completely below the other;

a spool within said casing having a head portion, a narrow neck portion,and a shoulder portion, said head portion being normally positioned onone side of said ports, said narrow neck portion being of sufficientlength to extend across at least a part of both said inlet and outletports, said head and shoulder portions being in sealed slidable engagement with said casing, said head portion being in sealed slidableengagement with said casing at at least two junctures, the distancebetween the two junctures closest to the neck portion being greater thanthe diameter of the closest port, said spool being slidable within saidcasing from a position where said juncture closest to the neck portionis above the closest port, to a position where said juncture closest tothe neck portion is between said ports;

C. a duct passing from between said head portion and said casing to theoutside of said valve, said duct beginning at a point which is abovesaid juncture closest to the neck portion and which is below saidjuncture farthest from said neck portion at all positions of said spool;and

D. an electric match positioned in communication with the inside of saidcasing adjacent the end of said head portion and replaceably held infriction engagement by two electrical contacts.

1. A normally-opened, explosively-actuated spool valve comprising: A. acasing having an inlet port and an outlet port in its sides, one of saidports at least slightly completely below the other; B. a spool withinsaid casing having a head portion, a narrow neck portion, and a shoulderportion, said head portion being normally positioned on one side of saidports, said narrow neck portion being of sufficient length to extendacross at least a part of both said inlet and outlet ports, said headand shoulder portions being in sealed slidable engagement with saidcasing, said head portion being in sealed slidable engagement with saidcasing at at least two junctures, the distance between the two juncturesclosest to the neck portion being greater than the diameter of theclosest port, said spool being slidable within said casing from aposition where said juncture closest to the neck portion is above theclosest port, to a position where said juncture closest to the neckportion is between said ports; C. a duct passing from between said headportion and said casing to the outside of said valve, said ductbeginning at a point which is above said juncture closest to the neckportion and which is below said juncture farthest from said neck portionat all positions of said spool; D. an explosive charge positioned incommunication with the inside of said casing adjacent the end of saidhead portion; and E. a pull rod fixed to said shoulder portion of saidspool and extending outside said casing.
 1. A normally-opened,explosively-actuated spool valve comprising: A. a casing having an inletport and an outlet port in its sides, one of said ports at leastslightly completely below the other; B. a spool within said casinghaving a head portion, a narrow neck portion, and a shoulder portion,said head portion being normally positioned on one side of said ports,said narrow neck portion being of sufficient length to extend across atleast a part of both said inlet and outlet ports, said head and shoulderportions being in sealed slidable engagement with said casing, said headportion being in sealed slidable engagement with said casing at at leasttwo junctures, the distance between the two junctures closest to theneck portion being greater than the diameter of the closest port, saidspool being slidable within said casing from a position where saidjuncture closest to the neck portion is above the closest port, to aposition where said juncture closest to the neck portion is between saidports; C. a duct passing from between said head portion and said casingto the outside of said valve, said duct beginning at a point which isabove said juncture closest to the neck portion and which is below saidjuncture farthest from said neck portion at all positions of said spool;D. an explosive charge positioned in communication with the inside ofsaid casing adjacent the end of said head portion; and E. a pull rodfixed to said shoulder portion of said spool and extending outside saidcasing.
 2. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said duct passes throughsaid casing.
 3. A valve according to claim 2 which has a third juncturebetween said duct and said closest port which juncture remainstherebetween at aLl the positions of said spool.
 4. A valve according toclaim 1 wherein said duct passes through said spool to the end of saidshoulder portion.
 5. A valve according to claim 4 which has a thirdjuncture between said duct and said closest port which juncture remainstherebetween at all the positions of said spool.
 6. A spool valveaccording to claim 1 wherein said explosive charge is electricallyactuated.
 7. A spool valve according to claim 6 wherein said explosivecharge is an electric match.
 8. A spool valve according to claim 7wherein said electric match is replaceably held in friction engagementby two electrical contacts.
 9. A spool valve according to claim 1wherein said junctures are O-rings.